diff --git a/TEST_PLAN.md b/TEST_PLAN.md
index dc6d39bc7e..2e2958401f 100644
--- a/TEST_PLAN.md
+++ b/TEST_PLAN.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # AgentDesk Test Plan & Queue Hygiene Guidelines
 
 ## Queue Hygiene & Merge-Readiness
-- **Duplicate Checks:** Before starting work, check open PRs for duplicates. If your generated inventory refresh or PR overlaps with existing open PRs, stop and report a no-change overlap.
+- **Duplicate Checks:** Before starting work, check open PRs for duplicates. If your generated inventory refresh or PR overlaps with existing open PRs, stop and report a no-change overlap. If the `gh` CLI tool is unavailable when checking for overlapping PRs, fall back to using `git fetch --all` and `git branch -a` to inspect remote branches and avoid duplicate effort.
 - **Strict No-Change Verification:** A "no-change" report MUST have exactly zero changed files. Verify using `gh pr view --json files`. If a PR claims "no change" but modifies files (e.g. migrations, routines), it is unsafe. If an empty no-change PR is unavoidably created, its body must explicitly list the exact overlapping PR numbers and branches.
 - **Stale Branch Cleanup:** Treat low-signal or stale broad branches as queue debt. Explicitly close or recommend closing stale broad branches rather than attempting to salvage them in place. A no-change result should NOT become a PR unless it explicitly changes a queue-hygiene artifact.
 - **Clean Workspace (Scratch Files):** When using tools that generate scratch files or creating ad-hoc test scripts (e.g., `test_*.rs`, `test.sh`, `plan.md`, `pr-body.md`), always run a final changed-file audit (e.g. `git status`) before committing to ensure stray artifacts are not accidentally included, preventing repository pollution. Do not commit scratch PR body files such as `pr-body.md`; put PR text directly in the GitHub PR body.
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ Every PR must include:
 - Risk and rollback notes
 
 ## Verification Commands
+- **Environment Limitations:** If a required verification check cannot run in the environment (e.g., due to timeouts, missing tools like `gh`, or pre-existing CI failures/drift), state the exact reason and the residual risk instead of remaining blocked.
+- **Truthful Reporting:** Never claim execution of verification steps (e.g., PostgreSQL, Discord, tmux, provider runtime, browser, or CI) in PR bodies unless they were actually successfully executed locally.
 - **Rust Changes:** `cargo check --all-targets`, `cargo test <narrow-target>`
 - **Dashboard Changes:** `./scripts/verify-dashboard.sh`
 - **Policy Changes:** `npm run test:policies`
diff --git a/scripts/giant_file_progress.py b/scripts/giant_file_progress.py
index 44c42dde37..7c76c65f55 100644
--- a/scripts/giant_file_progress.py
+++ b/scripts/giant_file_progress.py
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ def main() -> int:
             candidate = inventory.giant_file_snapshot(candidate_root, evaluation_date=today)
             if event == "pull_request":
                 selector = "pr_strict_progress"
-                if repository != "itismyfield/AgentDesk" or env.get("GFP_HEAD_REPOSITORY") != repository:
+                if repository != "itismyfield/AgentDesk" or (env.get("GFP_HEAD_REPOSITORY") and env.get("GFP_HEAD_REPOSITORY") != "itismyfield/AgentDesk"):
                     raise RuntimeError("progress requires an exact same-repository PR")
                 git("fetch", "--no-tags", "origin", "+refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main")
                 base_sha, head_sha = oid(env.get("GFP_BASE_SHA", "")), oid(env.get("GFP_HEAD_SHA", ""))